Rebuildable flight assembly for an elevating scraper

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a flight assembly for use on a scraper having an elevator. The flight assembly includes a lateral support member having a wear plate attached thereon. A wear cap is provided on each end of the lateral support member. The wear plates and wear caps are preferably bolted to the support member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates generally to a scraper for moving dirt and earth, and specifically to a flight assembly having replaceable wear elements.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Elevating scrapers are used to remove and transport large volumes of earth from one location to another. A cutting edge in the scraper bowl is pulled through the dirt to loosen the dirt. A powered elevator positioned in the bowl to lift the dirt away from the cutting edge. A plurality of flights are attached to the elevator to engage and lift the dirt. The flights are typically manufactured by welding a variety of formed steel plates together to create a structurally sound weldment. The welded flights require numerous man-hours to fabricate. Over a period of time some portions of the flights become worn and require repair. Typical repairs require building up the worn portions of the flight with weld and then grinding or machining the welded portion to manufacturers specifications.

[0003] It would be desirable to have a simple fabricated flight that can be easily repaired. The present invention is directed to overcome the above stated problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A flight assembly is provided for use on a scraper having a lateral support member configured to be attached to an elevator. At least one wear plate is removably attached to the lateral support member and engages material entering a scraper bowl and moves the material in an upward direction.

[0005] A scraper adapted to move material about a work site is provided having a bowl adapted to be towed about said work site. An elevator is positioned in the bowl and adapted to engage material entering the bowl and lift said material upward. A plurality of flight assemblies are attached to the elevator and at least one of said flight assemblies includes a wear plate mechanically attached to a lateral support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a side view of a scraper having an elevator to load dirt;

[0007]FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the scraper having a partial broken section illustrating an elevator positioned in the scraper bowl; and

[0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the elevator flight of the present invention, the front-most portion showing and exploded view and the rearmost portion showing an assembled view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Referring to FIG. 1, a scraper is generally indicated by reference number 10. The scraper includes a tractor 12 and a bowl 14. The tractor 12 includes a pair of ground engaging wheels 16, a frame 18, and a pair of spaced rearwardly projecting draft arms 20 which pivotally support the bowl 14 relative to the tractor 12. The bowl 14 has a pair of ground engaging wheels 22 which support the bowl 14 on the ground. A pair of hydraulic cylinders 24 which are attached between the frame 18 and the bowl 14 vertically move the bowl 14 to pivot around a pair of pins 26 which attach the draft arms 20 to the bowl 14. The bowl 14 includes a pair of spaced parallel sidewalls 28 and a moveable floor 30 for ejecting material.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, a cutting edge 32 positioned and attached between the sidewalls 28 at the forward opening of the bowl 14. An elevator 34 is positioned between the sidewalls 14 at the forward opening of the bowl 14. The elevator 34 carries dirt from the cutting edge 32 rearwardly and upwardly into the bowl 14. The elevator 34 includes a vertical frame 35 attached to each sidewall 28 by a support linkage 36. The vertical frame 35 includes a first side rail 37 and a second side rail (not shown). A motor 40 with a drive sprocket 42 is attached to the upper end of the frame 36. A guide wheel 44 is attached to the lower end of the frame 36. Each side rail 37 receives an endless chain 46, positioned around the sprocket 42 and the guide wheel 44. Flights assemlies 48 for carrying material into the bowl 14 are mounted along the chain 46 at essentially equally spaced intervals.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 3, the flight assembly 48 for use on an elevator scraper 10 is illustrated. The flight assembly 48 includes a lateral support member 52 having a first end 54 and a second end 56. A length is defined between the first and second ends 54, 56. The length 58 being enough to extend from the first side rail 37 to the second side rail. A wear plate 62 is mechanically attached to the lateral support member, preferably by using a plurality of nuts 64 and bolts 66.

[0012] The wear plate 62 preferably has a substantially “half arrow” shaped cross section 68, although a flat plate may be used. The wear plate 62 includes a first side 70 and a second side 72. A pattern of bores 73 extend from the first side 70 to the second side 72. A pair of notches 74 are disposed on the wear plate 62. The notches 74 are configured to permit the lateral support 52 member to engage the endless chain 46. A leading edge 76 is defined on the wear plate 62. As the endless chain 46 and flight assemblies 48 rotate about the vertical frame 35, the leading edge 76 engages the dirt entering the bowl 14. Abrasion causes the leading edge 76 to wear from a point 78 toward a thicker portion 80 of the half arrow cross section 68.

[0013] The lateral support member 52 may be provided in numerous forms, such as a structural beam or channel (neither shown). In one exemplary embodiment, the lateral support member 52 includes a pair of inner structural tubes 82. The inner structural tubes 82 have a substantially rectangular cross section having an interior surface 84 and an exterior surface 86. A wall 88 having a predetermined thickness 90 is defined between the inner and outer surfaces 84, 86. An outer structural tube 92 is positioned over the inner structural tube 82. The outer structural tube 92 is substantially rectangular in cross section and includes an inner an outer surface 94, 96. An outer tube wall 98 having a predetermined thickness 100 is defined between the inner and outer surfaces 94, 96. The inner structural tubes 82 are positioned and attached inside each end of the outer structural tube 92 and define a predetermined length 102. The inner structural tube 82 is adapted to slide inside of the outer structural tube 92. A plurality of bores 104 are disposed on each of the structural tubes 82, 92 in a manner that when the bores 104 of the inner tubes 82 align the bores of the outer structural tube 92. Each inner structural tube 82 extends beyond the end od its respective outer structural tube 92. The plurality of bores 104 additionally is configured to match the pattern of bores 73 of the wear plate 62. An angle member 105 is attached to the lateral support member 52 in a manner to support the wear plate 62.

[0014] A wear cap 106 is provided at each end of the lateral support member 52 to fit over each end of the inner structural tube 82. The wear caps 106 are removably attached to the lateral support member 52. The wear caps 106 may be made of a wear resistant material or may include a wear resistant coating.

[0015] Industrial Applicability

[0016] In operation a scraper 10 employing the flight assembly 48 of the present invention is assembled in substantially the same manner as a scraper having welded flights. When the flight assemblies 47 begin to show wear patterns on the wear cap 106 or wear plate 62, the worn pieces can be unbolted and replaced without welding or removing the flight from the elevator. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A flight assembly for use on a scraper elevator, said flight assembly comprising: a lateral support member configured to be attached to a pair of endless chains of the elevator; at least one wear plate, removably attached to said lateral support member, wherein said wear plate engages material entering a scraper bowl and moves the material in an toward the scraper bowl.
 2. The flight assembly of claim 1 including at least one wear cap removably is attached to each of a first and second end of said lateral support member.
 3. The flight assembly of claim 2, wherein said wear cap includes a wear resistant coating.
 4. The flight assembly of claim 2, wherein said wear cap is manufactured from a wear resistant material.
 5. The flight assembly of claim 1, wherein said wear plate includes a half arrow shaped cross section.
 6. The flight assembly of claim 1, wherein said wear plate is manufactured from a wear resistant material.
 7. The flight assembly of claim 1, wherein said wear plate includes a wear resistant coating applied to a leading edge.
 8. A scraper having an elevator adapted to move material about a work site, said scraper comprising: a bowl adapted to be towed about said work site, an elevator positioned in said bowl, said elevator being adapted to engage material entering said bowl and lift said material upward in said bowl; a plurality of flight assemblies attached to said elevator, wherein at least one of said flight assemblies includes a wear plate mechanically attached to a lateral support member.
 9. The scraper of claim 8, including at least one wear cap, said wear cap being removably attached to each of a first and second end of said lateral support member.
 10. The scraper of claim 9, wherein said wear cap is manufactured from a wear resistant material.
 11. The scraper of claim 9, wherein said wear cap includes a wear resistant material.
 12. The scraper of claim 8, wherein said wear plate includes a half arrow shaped cross section.
 13. The scraper of claim 8, wherein said wear plate is manufactured from a wear resistant material.
 14. The scraper of claim 8, wherein said wear plate includes a wear resistant coating applied to a leading edge.
 15. A method for repairing a flight on a elevator of a scraper comprising the steps of: determining that a portion of said flight requires repair; detaching said portion of said flight; providing a replacement flight portion; and attaching said replacement flight portion to said flight.
 16. The method of repairing said flight of claim 15, wherein the step of detaching includes removing at least one bolt from said portion of said flight.
 17. The method of repairing said flight of claim 15, wherein said portion of said flight to be repaired includes at least one of a wear plate or a wear cap.
 18. The method of repairing said flight of claim 15, wherein the step of providing said replacement portion includes providing a replacement portion manufactured from a wear resistant material.
 19. The method of repairing said flight of claim 15, wherein said replacement portion includes a wear resistant coating. 